You Were My Home
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day one hundred and one: Finn and Quinn go home after he finds out the baby isn't his.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a second cycle, and then a third and fourth cycle. Now here comes cycle 5!_

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"You Were My Home"  
Finn/Quinn  
Companion to "Sleepless Starry Night"

After the secret had come out, Quinn had given Finn his distance, knowing he probably didn't want to see her. But as the hours had drawn on, she had come to an inevitable realization… She'd have to invade this distance she'd granted him… She needed to go home at some point, and as it was, that was at Finn's.

What she'd do if Finn ever found out had been a concern from the moment she'd come to live with him, after she was kicked out. But eventually, being wrapped in the comfort and warmth of the Hudson home had lulled her into security, and she'd forgotten the possibility that it might be taken from her.

As the day ended, Quinn left her locker with her bag, ready to go… now she just needed to find Finn. She didn't see him at his class, locker… Glee room… Had he left already? Maybe he was going home to throw her things out on the lawn and change the locks, tell his mother she was just…

"Quinn…" She closed her eyes, feeling a tear snaking down her cheek. She wiped it away before turning to face Finn. He wouldn't meet her eye; when she looked over, he'd turned his eyes to the side.

"Hi…" she spoke softly, nervous… She didn't know if he would yell at her – she deserved it, or cry – she feared it… He did neither. There was no emotion on his face, and she knew it was not for lack of having them rumbling there under the surface.

"Ready to go?" he asked her after a moment of silence, hanging in the space between them.

"Yeah," she nodded.

"Okay," he spoke as he moved past her. She let out a breath, watching him go before she followed. It was about what she could hope for, she guessed.

In the car, Finn turned on the radio, further ignoring the inevitable silence. The first time he spoke up again was as they came up to the house. Finn turned the motor off and the silence revealed itself.

"I won't tell her yet if you don't want me to," he kept looking ahead, never needing to say 'my mother.' Just the thought was enough.

"Okay…" she spoke, unsure. She could tell it pained him, so she'd let him do as he wished. "Thanks…" he nodded before they got out of the car.

When they walked into the house, they saw Finn's mother was not there. They found a note saying she was out on a date and she'd be home late… they had the place to themselves… the timing was both spot on and horrible at once.

Quinn offered herself to make dinner. Finn went up to do homework, leaving her there. She cut vegetables and the question started rolling through her mind… where should she go?

She couldn't stay… shouldn't. She'd hurt him enough, staying would only add insult to injury. She knew Finn would never kick her out, he was too nice of a guy to ask her to leave even if he might want her to.

She didn't want to impose on other families… Finn and his mother had been so good to her, but then the circumstances were different.

She hadn't spoken to her parents since the night she'd been kicked out. She still knew even if she called them, she'd be lucky to get words in before they hung up on her.

Alice…

The thought came through her mind by way of thinking of home… She hadn't even considered the idea before, not as viable… Her sister wasn't like them, but she'd done right by them all her life. If taking in her bad seed little sister dropped a wall between her and their parents… She didn't want to risk it. But then she didn't really have a choice, did she?

She hadn't spoken to her either. Alice didn't know where she was, and Quinn hadn't known what to tell her… She didn't know what her parents had told her… She didn't even want to think about it.

She continued to debate the idea as they ate the dinner she prepared. Finn wasn't exactly in a talking mood, so he didn't notice. The house remained eerily quiet even with them there. Every little sound became amplified. They continued to share the same space while mostly ignoring one another, all the way to bed time.

After she'd changed into her pyjamas, she'd gone and sat on Finn's bed, which had been her bed while he slept on an air mattress on the floor. It was very reminiscent of the first night she'd spent in that bed. She'd been lost and confused there too, only the difference was she had Finn to hold her in the end.

She picked up the phone from the night stand, stared at it for a moment before dialling her sister's number. Hopefully she wouldn't be waking her up. When she picked up though, she could tell she'd been wide awake.

"Alice?" She heard a small gasp.

"Quinny?" Just hearing her voice, hearing the nickname, had her welling up. She kept it together, as her sister quizzed her… How was she? Where was she? Was she really pregnant? How was the baby? Quinn was more than happy to answer. She hadn't gotten to the big question yet. She half expected to hear a needle scratch and then a big 'no.'

Alice said yes, practically offered to come get her that very evening. Quinn insisted she'd be good for the night; arrangements were made for the move. She'd just hung up when there was a knock at the door. After she responded, Finn opened the door, just enough to stand in between.

"I'm going to sleep down on the couch, alright? Good night…"

"Finn, wait," she called after him, moving to stand. When he stopped, she paused, sat back as she'd been. He turned to look at her, still doing the no-eye-contact version of looking at her. "I called my sister. I… I'll go live with her. She can help me get on for after the baby…" she paused, hoping the mention of the baby – which he now knew wasn't his – wouldn't upset him. That wasn't the hang up Finn had gotten caught on.

"So… you're moving out," he nodded.

"Yeah…" she spoke slowly. "Are you… I-I mean…" she looked down.

"It's fine… Good… good night," he turned and walked out, fast… Quinn was left sitting in the now all too familiar silence, awed, mourning… They'd been doing so much better lately, she thought they might actually have had a chance… It seemed silly now, denial…

She hadn't expected this though… his getting upset with her leaving. Did he want her to stay?

She couldn't do it… she couldn't deal with how things would be, with her, and Finn, and his mother… It would be better for everyone if she went with Alice… And she'd be happy with her sister. Maybe being there would help her get over what she'd just lost…

THE END


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